Plumber jobs in Denver, CO
Local pay, hiring demand and training costs for becoming a plumber in the Denver, CO metro (3.0 million people). A tight labor market with strong construction and clean-energy hiring. Licensing reciprocity with nearby states makes it easy to work across the Front Range.
Denver numbers
- Local entry pay
- $38k–$51k as an apprentice
- Local experienced pay
- $74k–$117k as a journeyman, more with a master license
- Local training cost
- $0–$2,900 (apprenticeships pay you)
- Hiring demand
- Very high in the Denver metro
- Time to qualify
- 4–5 years to journeyman, paid throughout
- Credential needed
- State journeyman plumbing license
Pay in Denver runs 6% above the national average, while cost of living is 12% above the national average. Net effect: Below average — costs eat into the wage. Figures are modelled from national ranges adjusted by local wage and cost indexes — treat them as planning estimates, not job offers.
Job availability in Denver
Demand for skilled trade roles here is very high across a metro of 3.0 million. Employers and training providers worth checking first:
- UCHealth
- Xcel Energy contractors
- Emily Griffith Technical College
- Denver International Airport
What training costs here
Programs in Denver run 5% below the national average — roughly $0–$2,900 (apprenticeships pay you) to reach your state journeyman plumbing license. Compare a local community or technical college against employer-paid apprenticeships before you pay tuition.
AI impact
Very low. Diagnosis under sinks and inside walls is physical work that cannot be automated.
Getting started from Denver
Phase 1
Get hired as a plumber's helper
Service and new-construction shops hire helpers with no experience. Show up on time with your own boots and basic hand tools.
Phase 2
Register your apprenticeship hours
Union (UA) or open-shop programs log 8,000 field hours with night classroom work and yearly raises.
Phase 3
License, then specialize or own
Service plumbing, medical gas and backflow certification pay premiums. A master license lets you pull permits and run your own shop.